Nov 9 Rocca di Castagnoli Chianti Classico

I selected this wine for The Vine Club, which I run with The Carriage Wine and Market in Florence, Alabama, last June. It has been a great seller since, and many non-club members have bought it again and again. It's that damn good.

The Rocca di Castagnoli estate dates back to the medieval era. The original fortress structure still remains on the property and houses the barrels, and apartments and rooms are available to rent for vacationers looking for a Tuscan getaway. Chianti is the ubiquitous Italian red wine that runs the gamut in quality, from thin and flabby to woody and hot. Many of them are made with a blend of the international varieties merlot and cabernet sauvignon, alongside the native sangiovese, then oaked and extracted in the American style. This is not one of them.

Inside Chianti is the subregion Chianti Classico, known for lower yields and higher quality vineyards. You can tell a Chianti Classico by the trademark black rooster (gallo negro) on the neck label. The Rocca di Castagnoli is made in the old-school style. Yields are low, fermentation begins with indigenous yeasts, and the wine spends time in large Slovenian oak barrels - not new French oak. As a result, it expresses beautifully the clay hillside vineyards in which it was grown. The blend is 90% sangiovese with the remaining 10% a blend of canaiolo and colorino, all three of which are native to Central Italy.

With bright, ruby color and cherry and raspberry notes, it's both elegant and easy. It pairs well with pasta and pizza, salumi and prosciutto, hard salty cheeses. Though it drinks just fine on its own, preferably in low light, and has proven to be a "chic magnet." You're welcome.

#tbt to my visit to @stony_hill_wine in February and stopped to listen to the creek run down as I drove up.

New episode of Pig&Vine Radio with Chef Kelly Fields of Willa Jean is live! Kelly and I chat about her path to becoming a chef/partner in the John Besh Restaurant Group, how she approaches the plate, and what the ideal kitchen environment looks like. (Hint: she's created it) Read my full intro thru the bio link and listen to the episode on iTunes. @kellyfields @willajeanneworleans 📷: @gabriellegeiselmanmilone #neworleans #winepodcast #podcastlife

Truth has become a word in serious danger of losing its meaning. I don't have to go too deep into commentary on the current political situation to make my point. But it's not just a lunatic president and his minions who are abusing the language. Storysellers, marketers if you will, even we ourselves in our own private lives, are stretching the truth to sell a thing, an idea, a feeling. The wine business is not exempt from such behavior. But should wine stories be true? Read my latest essay (about a ten min read) thru the bio link and share your thoughts.

Revelatory Deliciousness, that point where a wine surpasses easy drinkability and pleasure, and ignites a flash of inspiration or self-discovery. It's personal and often private, though the experience is truly democratic, available to anyone willing to accept it. A simple syrah dominate blend from France's Luberon region recently did this for me. So much Deliciousness after a long period of illness induced palate fatigue, like a coma, everything short of finish and insipid in flavor. More thoughts and notes through my bio link. Bastide du Claux Malacare 2014 from Rosenthal, purchased @keifeandco in #neworleans #luberon #rosenthalwines #rhonevalley #sylvainmorey

That's how we do @bacchanalwine on Rosé Fest 2017. #ballin #winning #txakolina #ameztoi

Pink on pink on pink @bacchanalwine rosé fest 2017. 😊💕

So excited about this new book! I've gotten lazy over the past few years (cooking for one is so much work) and as a result, I've lost my edge on technique and pairing flavors. But this lovely tome by @ciaosamin has me curious to get back in the kitchen, and I've long been a fan of @wendymac art. #saltfatacidheat

Monday Alice. #nofilter #nofucksgiven

Gettin' caught up on this stormy Sunday. Great article about Pauline "Pauli" Murray in the April 17 issue. #heroine #badasslady #newyorkerinthewild #sunday #neworleans #catsofinstagram

Hanging out at my fave wine store @keifeandco for a few days, pushing the quality vino onto the good people of New Orleans. 😎🍷🍾

In the newest podcast episode, I chat with the clever and delightful mind behind @80harvests, @amanda_wine. She's traveling to over 40 countries to witness 80 harvests and record what makes each region so unique. We also talk about wine journalism, literature and fave childhood films. Read the blog post thru bio link or go straight to iTunes and download Pig&Vine Radio. #podcast #podcastlife #winepodcast

One of the more interesting wines I've had in a while: 14% viognier, 83% syrah, 3% pinot noir from Willamette Valley, OR. The nod to Northern Rhône comes thru nicely, and the dab of pinot adds some freshness, I suppose. Strong smokey meat syrah game= ❤️#biggiohamina #willamettevalley #Oregon wine

My herb garden is thriving and the lavender is in bloom. So nice to have space to grow things again! #marigny #neworleans #nola #herbs #herbgarden

Have you caught up on all the Pig&Vine Radio episodes? Check it out on iTunes and leave us a review, particularly if it's a nice one. Link in bio will lead you where you want to go, then follow the sound of my melodious voice to discover the secrets of musicians, artists, writers and even an ER doc, or two. #podcastlife #winepodcast #neworleans #winelife

Wine Lovers, Get Woke. "The cheapest way to grow grapes? Eliminate risk by relying on herbicides, insecticides, chemical fertilizers and mechanization to ensure, barring natural disaster or extreme climate conditions, a crop size that makes the bean counters smile and wink. Then there’s the matter of water usage, energy and labor costs, and working conditions. Given what we know today, indulging those practices to save a few dollars at the register carries a strong, ethically sour odor." New essay on the blog about why industrialized, chemically manipulated plonk isn't doing you any favors, by price or flavor. Link in bio.